Regardless if this ongoing "war on terror" pleases you or not, we still have to admit that there are more terrible things happening elsewhere. With the countdown to Election Day, we still have time to speak out for what really matters - education, health care, gay rights, global warming, rising oil prices and, for me, most importantly, world issues.

I don't have to go to the extreme to explain just the minimum of what's happening in places such as Africa or Israel and even still Tibet.

Just read, watch or listen to the news. You'll probably see or hear it in smaller letters, maybe on the front page, but only for a day. Then it goes into archives, almost like it never happened.

I have to agree that in 2007, we accomplished only a little but said a lot. For myself, it was a year of grief and many losses.

Remember when Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore spoke out on global warming? Many of you probably took it very seriously, and others may have taken it lightly, some not at all.

Then raging fires broke out all around the world. Something unforgettable happened in Southern California, where thousands became homeless and others were left injured or dead.

Hurricanes keep sweeping through the South and earthquakes are happening more suddenly and continuously. Let's not forget that we were warned. If you believe so or not, it happened, and people have died because of it. We cannot forget history but can make history of it.

Here's just a brief list of the issues that bring chills down my spine: Important leaders are still being killed or assassinated. Innocent people, including our very own soldiers are being threatened and terrorized somewhere. More cars were bombed last year, causing deaths of even more innocent people. That formidable word, genocide, is still in effect, again causing more deaths. And the list goes on.

I'm not preaching. I'm not running for president or the Senate; nor am I any more important than you. I am simply reminding you that we have the right to speak out and do something about the issues that are surrounding us and have affected us locally and globally.

Let's make this one of your New Year's resolutions. Indeed, we can't complain about something we are not doing anything about. I believe that we are our own leaders, so go out and make a difference.